Sky partners with English National Ballet for virtual reality piece

Sky partners with English National Ballet for virtual reality piece

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Thursday, 29th September 2016
Giselle VR star Tamara Rojo (Credit: Sky)
Giselle VR star Tamara Rojo (Credit: Sky)

Sky has teamed up with the English National Ballet to create a new reality experience inspired by choreographer Akram Khan’s latest ballet, Giselle.

The two-minute piece, featuring original choreography by Khan, and music by Vincenzo Lamagna, features the ballet’s artistic director and Lead Principal Tamara Rojo.

In the piece, Rojo dances around the 360º space, leaving a trail of light and dust behind her, which maps out the course of her movements.

Ahead of the launch of the piece, Sky has released a behind-the-scenes 360º teaser trailer.

The full Giselle VR experience will then become one of the first pieces available on Sky’s new virtual reality app, which will launch in October 2016.

Details about the app are being kept under wraps – Sky has not released information on how it will work, or how much it will cost.

Choreographer Akram Khan commented: “I think virtual reality is unchartered territory with immense possibilities. It’s incredibly exciting to plant a small seed, that in future could grow and offer new ways of presenting dance.”

Khan’s Giselle is a modern take on the tragic love story between a peasant and a Duke, set in the middle ages.

The ballet, currently being performed at Manchester’s Palace Theatre, sees the peasants of the original become a community of migrant workers.

The Giselle VR experience was produced by new immersive content company, Factory 42. It was set up by former Sky channel head John Cassy and BAFTA-winning director Daniel Smith.

Daniel Smith said: “It blows my mind that with VR we can place viewers not only inside a film or world as a passive being but also give them interactivity.”

“Technology is moving so quickly at the moment and we are in an ideal position to exploit it, so I can't wait to see what happens in the next few years.”

Find out more about the art of 360º storytelling and how to use the latest kit at our upcoming London event: In the Round: Virtual Reality and 360⁰ storytelling.

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Sky has teamed up with the English National Ballet to create a new reality experience inspired by choreographer Akram Khan’s latest ballet, Giselle.